EU and US Congress condemn threats to Iranian demonstrators
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he hoped Iran's leaders "don't do anything irreversible" that could further endanger the country's stability. "We support the Iranian people, and today the Iranian people are on the street," he said.
The 27 EU leaders were unanimous in condemning violence against Iran's opposition protesters…
In the strongest message yet from the US government, the House of Representatives voted 405-1 to condemn Iran's crackdown on demonstrators and the government's interference with Internet and cell phone communications.
The statement expresses support for "Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and rule of law" and affirms "the importance of democratic and fair elections." It also condemns "the ongoing violence" by the government against demonstrators.
Rep. Howard Berman, a Democrat chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-sponsor of the resolution, said “we must reaffirm our strong belief that the Iranian people have a fundamental right to express their views about the future of their country freely and without intimidation."
The resolution was a veiled criticism of President Barack Obama, who has been reluctant to speak out against Teheran's handling of disputed elections. Rep. Mike Pence, who co-sponsored the resolution, said he disagrees with the administration that it must not meddle in Iran's affairs.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he hoped Iran's leaders "don't do anything irreversible" that could further endanger the country's stability. "We support the Iranian people, and today the Iranian people are on the street," he said.
The 27 EU leaders were unanimous in condemning violence against Iran's opposition protesters…
In the strongest message yet from the US government, the House of Representatives voted 405-1 to condemn Iran's crackdown on demonstrators and the government's interference with Internet and cell phone communications.
The statement expresses support for "Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and rule of law" and affirms "the importance of democratic and fair elections." It also condemns "the ongoing violence" by the government against demonstrators.
Rep. Howard Berman, a Democrat chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-sponsor of the resolution, said “we must reaffirm our strong belief that the Iranian people have a fundamental right to express their views about the future of their country freely and without intimidation."
The resolution was a veiled criticism of President Barack Obama, who has been reluctant to speak out against Teheran's handling of disputed elections. Rep. Mike Pence, who co-sponsored the resolution, said he disagrees with the administration that it must not meddle in Iran's affairs.
[Jerusalem Post]
Israel's rare opportunity –Caroline Glick
The revolutionary atmosphere building in Iran presents Israel with a prospect it has rarely confronted: a safe bet. To date, Israel has joined the US in rejecting the protesters. This should change.
In refusing to stick their necks out - and so effectively siding with the mullahs - US President Barack Obama, like Defense Minister Ehud Barak, have rightly pointed out that Mir Hossein Mousavi, Iran's former prime minister and the head of the protest movement, is just as radical and extreme as Ahmadinejad whom he seeks to unseat. The likes of Mousavi, Khatami and Rafsanjani don't want to overthrow the regime whose aims they share. They just want to restore their power within the regime.
There is no reason for Israel to believe that a Mousavi government will be more inclined to end Iran's race to the bomb or diminish its support for terror groups like Hizbullah and Hamas than Ahmadinejad's government is. As prime minister in the 1980s, Mousavi was a major instigator of Iran's nuclear program and he oversaw the establishment of Hizbullah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
While reasonable on their face, these arguments for doing nothing, all ignore the significance of recent developments.
The fact of the matter is that with each passing day, Mousavi's personal views and interests are becoming increasingly irrelevant. Whether he had planned to do so or not, a week ago Mousavi became an enemy of the regime. Mousavi tied his personal survival to the success of the protesters - and pitted his life against Khamenei's. In Ledeen's words, "Both Khamenei and Mousavi - the two opposed icons of the moment, at least - know that they will either win or die."
[B]y the end of this week, the protesters themselves had been transformed. If last week they were simply angry that they had been ignored, by Thursday they had become a revolutionary force apparently dedicated to the overthrow of the regime. This was made clear by a list of demands circulating among the protesters include[ing] Khamenei's removal from power, the dissolution of the secret police, the reform of the constitution, and the installation of Mousavi as president. These demands make clear where the protesters are leading. They are leading to the overthrow of one of the most heinous regimes on the face of the earth and its replacement by a liberal democracy.
As far as Israel is concerned, this is a win-win situation. If the protesters successfully overthrow the regime, they will have neutralized the greatest security threat facing the Jewish state. And if they fail, the Obama administration will be hard-pressed to legitimize their blood bath by embracing them as negotiating partners. Israel stands only to gain from the ayatollahs' discomfort.
If Israel extends a hand in friendship to these Iranian patriots, the worst that can happen is that they fail to overthrow the mullahs and we are left to acknowledge that we wished them well. There is no shame in that.
[I]f they fail to overthrow the regime, and Israel is compelled to attack their country's nuclear installations, it is hard to imagine that they will take it personally. Rather, recalling that it was Israel that stood with them first, they would no doubt understand why we were forced to act, and perhaps be inspired to try again to free themselves from the shackles of their hideous regime.
[Jerusalem Post]
*
UPDATE:
Israel's Top Leaders Voice Support for Iran Demonstrators -Richard Boudreaux
After more than a week of massive protests by defiant Iranians alleging electoral fraud, Israeli leaders have joined the Israeli public in openly applauding the demonstrators. "It is a regime whose real nature has been unmasked, and it's been unmasked by incredible acts of courage by Iran's citizens," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
(Los Angeles Times)
*
Israel's rare opportunity –Caroline Glick
The revolutionary atmosphere building in Iran presents Israel with a prospect it has rarely confronted: a safe bet. To date, Israel has joined the US in rejecting the protesters. This should change.
In refusing to stick their necks out - and so effectively siding with the mullahs - US President Barack Obama, like Defense Minister Ehud Barak, have rightly pointed out that Mir Hossein Mousavi, Iran's former prime minister and the head of the protest movement, is just as radical and extreme as Ahmadinejad whom he seeks to unseat. The likes of Mousavi, Khatami and Rafsanjani don't want to overthrow the regime whose aims they share. They just want to restore their power within the regime.
There is no reason for Israel to believe that a Mousavi government will be more inclined to end Iran's race to the bomb or diminish its support for terror groups like Hizbullah and Hamas than Ahmadinejad's government is. As prime minister in the 1980s, Mousavi was a major instigator of Iran's nuclear program and he oversaw the establishment of Hizbullah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
While reasonable on their face, these arguments for doing nothing, all ignore the significance of recent developments.
The fact of the matter is that with each passing day, Mousavi's personal views and interests are becoming increasingly irrelevant. Whether he had planned to do so or not, a week ago Mousavi became an enemy of the regime. Mousavi tied his personal survival to the success of the protesters - and pitted his life against Khamenei's. In Ledeen's words, "Both Khamenei and Mousavi - the two opposed icons of the moment, at least - know that they will either win or die."
[B]y the end of this week, the protesters themselves had been transformed. If last week they were simply angry that they had been ignored, by Thursday they had become a revolutionary force apparently dedicated to the overthrow of the regime. This was made clear by a list of demands circulating among the protesters include[ing] Khamenei's removal from power, the dissolution of the secret police, the reform of the constitution, and the installation of Mousavi as president. These demands make clear where the protesters are leading. They are leading to the overthrow of one of the most heinous regimes on the face of the earth and its replacement by a liberal democracy.
As far as Israel is concerned, this is a win-win situation. If the protesters successfully overthrow the regime, they will have neutralized the greatest security threat facing the Jewish state. And if they fail, the Obama administration will be hard-pressed to legitimize their blood bath by embracing them as negotiating partners. Israel stands only to gain from the ayatollahs' discomfort.
If Israel extends a hand in friendship to these Iranian patriots, the worst that can happen is that they fail to overthrow the mullahs and we are left to acknowledge that we wished them well. There is no shame in that.
[I]f they fail to overthrow the regime, and Israel is compelled to attack their country's nuclear installations, it is hard to imagine that they will take it personally. Rather, recalling that it was Israel that stood with them first, they would no doubt understand why we were forced to act, and perhaps be inspired to try again to free themselves from the shackles of their hideous regime.
[Jerusalem Post]
*
UPDATE:
Israel's Top Leaders Voice Support for Iran Demonstrators -Richard Boudreaux
After more than a week of massive protests by defiant Iranians alleging electoral fraud, Israeli leaders have joined the Israeli public in openly applauding the demonstrators. "It is a regime whose real nature has been unmasked, and it's been unmasked by incredible acts of courage by Iran's citizens," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
(Los Angeles Times)
*
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